ERC Focuses on ‘Weathering the Storm’

The Council of State Governments’ Eastern Regional Conference in March brought together more than 80 state officials and staff from the Northeast for a special dialogue with a range of experts who are implementing innovative strategies for forging resiliency across the Northeast. To learn more about “Weathering the Storm: Moving Forward on Regional Resilience,” visit the ERC website at www.csgeast.org.

STUDY Prevent Bad Behavior in Schools, Don’t Punish It

The Council of State Governments Justice Center in May released a nationwide study—“The School Discipline Consensus Report”—that suggests school officials focus on improving the learning environment rather than spending so much time dwelling on how to react to bad behavior. The study also shares a set of tools that can be used to minimize reactive punishment and maximize preventing bad behavior before it happens. Read the report at csgjusticecenter.org.

MONTANA Program Wins NASFA Award

The National Association of State Facilities Administrators has named Montana’s Architecture & Engineering Division and Energy, Pollution & Prevention Bureau as the winner of the 2014 Innovations Award for its program, “State Building Energy Conservation Program Implementation.” NASFA’S Innovations Award, sponsored by CANNONDESIGN, honors programs that enhance efficiency and effectiveness in state government and the facilities profession.

NEI/NEXT Initiative

Nearly a third of all states set new records for export sales in 2013. This success has led the Obama administration to launch the NEI/NEXT initiative after the original National Export Initiative concluded in 2013.

Led by the Export Promotion Cabinet and the Trade Promotion Coordinating Committee, the NEI/NEXT builds on the original initiative by providing a more tailored approach for U.S. companies looking to export by expanding access to export finance, connecting U.S. businesses to foreign customers and improving U.S. export-related services.

The Council of State Governments and State International Development Officers—or SIDO, a CSG affiliate—are engaged with the federal government to ensure a collaborative environment between state and government officials to make the program efficient and effective.
For more on NEI/NEXT, visit www.trade.gov/neinext/factsheet.asp.

SOUND SCIENCE What You Need to Know

Want data-driven solutions to your state’s problems? CSG is here to help you make decisions based on sound science. “A State Official’s Guide to Science-based Decision-making” gives state policymakers clear guidance on how to cut through the jargon and spin that often accompany technical issues.

The guide includes recommendations and helpful tools for policymakers, regardless of background, to confidently assess the assumptions, conclusions and results found in state public hearing witness testimony and scientific studies. The aim of the guide is not to suggest what to think; rather, the impetus is to provide a roadmap of how to approach an issue so state thought leaders can make the most informed decision possible.